Here are some ideas to throw the perfect Christmas party at home for your kids.
Prepare and Decorate for the Party
If you are using your basement or family room, add a small decorated tree. Even a tabletop tree or a construction paper tree on the wall will work.
Hang red and green streamers across the ceiling or from one end of a wall to another; and hang a “Merry Christmas” sign on the wall.
Set a table in the corner and place all Christmas paper products and tableware on it. (Christmas tablecloth, napkins, dishes, cups, and plastic flatware)
Before the guests arrive, get out your Christmas CDs and play them until the party is over.
Once the guests have arrived, you are ready for the party to begin.
Activities for your Party
• Play musical chairs, using jingle bells or any Christmas song for the music.
• Play charades. Kids are very animated, and would love this game. Choose Christmas-related words like: gift, Santa, elf, tree, Snowman, etc.
• Play pin the nose on Rudolph
• Play “Santa Says” - a fun Christmas version of “Simon Says” for kids.
• If any child can dance or sing, invite him/or her to give a performance.
• Have a sing-a-long to the Christmas music.
• Play “finish the Christmas story.” Have an adult begin a story about Santa or an Elf, and then ask each child to add a line or two. Once the story is concluded, the story can be printed out by another adult who has been writing down each line. Give each child a copy of the story, and have the kids sign the story as a keepsake.
• For the big finale, have an adult dress up as Santa Claus and hand out Christmas stockings to each child. Ensure the child’s name is on each stocking. Fill the stockings with goodies, such as: candy; small dolls; toys, or whatever is fitting, but inexpensive.
• Take pictures as Santa hands out the presents. Have several copies made for the kids so they will have a lasting memory of the party.
Whatever Christmas party ideas for kids you select, you can be sure that anything you do will not only be appreciated, but will give all the kids an opportunity to have a great time with their friends.
Lisa Marie Mary
The Christmas holidays are the most joyous time of the year for families. Especially important is the time families spend together decorating, wrapping, and baking. So let’s explore how you can spend family time making Christmas Cards with your kids.
Here are some items you will need. Buy a Santa coloring book and a package of colored construction paper. Cut the construction paper to the size of the cards your family wishes to make. Get out the crayons, magic markers of all colors, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, ribbons, glue or glue stick, sparkles, red, black and green fabrics, and small candy canes. Your family is ready to begin making unique Christmas cards.
Make Christmas tree cards by drawing several trees on green construction paper. Cut the trees out. Glue fabric and candy to the cards for a beautiful visual effect.
Draw a house with Santa climbing down the chimney. The card can be decorated with cotton balls for Santa’s hat and beard with a line of trees cut from construction paper for the front of the house. Use colored markers to add ornaments to the branches of the trees. Sprinkle glitter on the ornaments, as well as the tree, to resemble snow.
A picture of a full-sized Santa could be cut out of a coloring book, and pasted to the front of a card. After it is colored in with crayons, add fabric to enhance the picture. Make a green sack out of material and place it over Santa’s shoulder; use black material to glue onto Santa’s boots; use the red material to glue onto Santa’s hat. You can adorn the card with small candy canes.
Draw a reindeer and sleigh card. Instead of drawing antlers, take some brown pipe cleaners, arrange the brown pipe cleaners into antlers and glue the pipe cleaners to the top of the reindeer’s head. If the coloring book has a picture of the sleigh, cut the sleigh out of the book; color the sleigh using crayons; and paste the sleigh in front of the reindeer.
Once the fronts of the cards are decorated, your family can write a personal Christmas message inside the card, with everyone signing their names using colored crayons or markers. Or, to really make the card special, insert a family photograph and sign all your names.
Making personalized Christmas cards is probably one of the most popular craft ideas for the entire family. While the kids are on Christmas vacation, take a day to sit around your kitchen or dining room table and create memorable Christmas cards.
Ya'll have got to see this Christmas doormat, it is so cute - the kids would just love it!
A friend told me about this store a few months ago and now I am hearing about it everywhere and thinking of them for all kinds of different gifts - for everyone!
I think I'm a Personalization Mall addict!
Ok, enough babbling - here's the doormat:
It's the Holly Jolly Christmas Doormat
I really, really want one!
Would you like to make a gingerbread house? There are a few options. Either start from scratch, which may take more than a day to complete, or buy a Gingerbread House Kit which includes all of the items you’ll need to build this holiday favorite. Whatever the choice, your kids will have a lot of fun making it. This is a perfect way for them to use their imagination and creativity.
If baking is not your thing, simply go out and buy the kit so that your kids can spend more time decorating it. Putting the house together is pretty simple. Just follow the instructions given in the kit. You will need edible glue to hold the pieces together. Make the glue using this recipe:
1 egg white
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups confectioners sugar
Make sure the glue is thick – like glue should be. Put it into a piping gun, and you are set to go.
Once the house is built, you get to start on the fun part. Let the kids pick out what types of candies they want to use to decorate the house, for example, gum drops, M&M’s, candy canes, or cookies.
Here are some more ideas:
• Put some trees in front of the house. How about using pretzel sticks with green candy leaves attached?
• Add food coloring into part of the glue to add color to your gingerbread house. Use the colored glue to outline the windows, roof, and other parts of the house.
• Make gingerbread cookies as people and set them in front or inside of the house. Decorate the gingerbread cookies to give them a more personal touch.
• Perhaps the kids would also want to add a chimney. Use licorice squares.
• Add a gingerbread Santa cookie on the roof.
• Want to add your family pet? Buy animal crackers and place them outside the house.
• Take a graham cracker and pipe on the family name, or the names of the kids who decorated it. That’s a great personal touch.
There are so many ways with which kids can decorate a gingerbread house because their imagination is never-ending. The main thing is to provide the tools and then have fun doing it. Whether it is a small, medium or large gingerbread house, the possibilities are endless. Not only will they have fun, but it will be a learning experience as well. Be sure to take lots of pictures!
Kids love making their own Christmas decorations for their home and displaying them proudly.
Use ribbons and bows to decorate lamps, curtains and drapes. Choose different color ribbons and bows according to the colors in your home. For example, if you have white curtains, add red and green bows you can stick onto any surface, and arrange the bows on the white curtains any way you wish.
Kids may want to decorate the drapes using different sized white doilies, and fill the drapes with snowflakes. Attach green or red garland to the bottom of the drapes, and hang small light colored ornaments on the garland.
Kids can also decorate the entertainment center with candles of all colors, little glass bowls of Christmas balls, and Christmas figurines. Whether the entertainment center is wood, white or black, this is a sure way to make the entertainment center a Christmas display.
Have a coffee table? If the coffee table is glass, the kids can decorate the edge of the coffee table with garland and ornaments. Remember to choose a garland that compliments the colors in the room. Tape the garland around the table. Start with taping the garland at one corner of the table and let the garland hang a few inches. Repeat the process: tape and hang, until you have hung the garland completely around the coffee table. Then add favorite ornaments and hang them on the garland. This is a wonderful visual effect that also works on your mantel or a banister or railing, too.
Your children can create Christmas artwork with markers, paints or crayons. If you display it in a nice frame, it will complement your home décor and look like you paid money for it.
And, of course, a favorite Christmas decoration is a gingerbread house. Create a gingerbread house with your children. The gingerbread house will be a perfect display for a countertop or in the middle of your coffee table.
Choosing Christmas décor ideas for kids to make is easy; arranging them to compliment the décor of your home is the challenge. Choose the decorations, and have the kids use their imagination to turn your home into wonderland of color.
Christmas is a wonderful time to bring your family together. Many families establish certain rituals that are attached to specific holidays. This year, spice up your holidays with some fun family Christmas activities.
Christmas Caroling - Christmas carolers are almost a thing of the past. This year, gather your family, bundle up to keep warm, and go Christmas caroling through your local community. Be sure to visit your local nursing home, as they love these types of holiday celebrations.
Make a Gingerbread House - A gingerbread house is a very fun way to involve your family in a long-loved Christmas tradition. Bake the pieces to your gingerbread house, then let the entire family construct and decorate the house.
Make Handmade Christmas Cards – Instead of buying your Christmas cards, make your own this year. You can purchase all the materials you’ll need at your local scrapbook shop or craft store. Buy blank note cards then decorate them. Insert your family’s Christmas photo inside each card before you mail them out to family and friends.
Lighting of the Tree - A fun family Christmas activity is to make it a special occasion to erect and light your family’s Christmas tree. Plan a special day of family fun. At the end of the day, gather your family to decorate and light the Christmas tree. Then, sit around your beautifully decorated tree and read the Christmas story while you sip on eggnog or hot cocoa.
Christmas makes kids wide-eyed, with thoughts of a ton of presents under the Christmas tree. Some kids even like to count their presents under the tree. This holiday season, teach your kids the true meaning of Christmas — giving to others.
Give to Others - One simple way to teach your children the value of giving is to have them donate to a local shelter. Have your children go through their toys and clothes. Make sure they give away one really nice thing that they don’t really need or play with. Place an emphasis on the fact that there are many children who have no home or parents.
Another way your children can learn about the gift of giving is to donate canned goods to a local food drive service. These services provide food to families in need. The holidays are often a difficult time for those in need. Take your children to the grocery store and have them choose a nice variety of canned foods to donate.
One more way your children can learn a lesson in giving is to buy gifts for others. Choose a needy family in your church or community. If you don’t know of anyone in need, ask around. Officials at your city’s municipal building, or local pastors will be able to make recommendations to you.
Take your children shopping and help them pick out age-appropriate toys and gifts. Let them wrap the gifts, too. Finally, drive your family to your “adopted” family’s home and let your kids hand out their gifts. You can also give a gift to a local gift drive for children in need, most of these will advertise in stores and the local community during the holidays.